This is an edited PermaThread, and all messages posted here are subject to editing and deletion.This thread is intended to serve as a forum for indexing songbooks published by the Cooperative Recreation Service and its successor, World Around Songs.

How to use Songbook Indexes

Use [CTRL-F] to find the song you want, and then post a request for the song at the bottom of the thread. We'll contact the songbook owner and obtain the lyrics, and we'll post an answer or a link in your request message.

Once upon a time, there was a company called Cooperative Recreation Service in a town with the likely name of Delaware, Ohio. This message (click) says the company was operated by Lynn Rohrbough and Katherine Ferris. Later, it became World Around Songs.

The company published songbooks in a very distinctive format, a pocket-sized 3-5/8" wide by 6-5/8" tall. The book emphasized international folk songs translated into English, but also included traditional American songs and American "leftist" songs. It also published songbooks for the Girl Scouts, the YWCA, the american Camping Association, Methodist youth camps, and other organizations. I don't know when it happened, but publication of these books was taken over by World Around Songs of Burnsville, North Carolina.

Here are indexes of the books from this source that various Mudcatters have available. If you'd like to see any of the songs listed in these indexes, post your request here and we'll start a thread for the song.-Joe Offer-

Ah Ta Ka Ta Nu Va (Eskimo) All Through the Night America America the Beautiful At the Spring Be Present Here Be Thou Our Guest Bell Yodel Bicycle Built for Two Billy Boy Black Eyed Susie Blossom on the Plum Bon Appetit Bugle Calls / Bugle Note Came A-Riding Chiu, Chiu, Chiu Clementine Cling, Clang, Gloria Cobbler Come, Let's Be Singing Cowboy Night Song Crazy Dixie Day Is Done (Taps) Dese Bones Dogie Song Doktor Eisenhart Donkey Rising Drill Ye Tarriers East Side, West Side Evening Song Every Time I Feel the Spirit Ezek'el Saw the Wheel Fairest Lord Jesus Father Give This Food For the Beauty of the Earth From the Sun's Rising Ghost Song Go Well and Safely God of Our Fathers Golden Willow Tree Good Morning to You Green Grow the Rushes Han' Me Down Yo' Golden Trumpet Hello to You Ho! jikel'e (Xhosa) Holy, Holy, Holy Home on the Range Hop Out of Bed Hunger, Oh! If You're Happy Johnny's My Boy Jonathan Smith Kee lee lye la Kay Lay Lee (American Indian) Killy, Killy Kindled Fire Koni Au I Ku Wai (Hawaiian) Lake Yodel Let's Be Beginning Light From a Star Light of Day Little Johnny England Little Skunk Lonesome Valley Long John Long Legged Sailor Lord for Our Food Lord, Lord, Lord Malayan Hand Drill Menelik (South America) Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory (Battle Hymn of the Republic) Mister Rabbit Morning Comes Early Morning Song Musikanter My Farm My Wagon O Yepo (Philippines) Oh, Susannah Old Man Gray Chief Old Woman and the Peddlar Paris Is Burning (Paris se Quema) Peace, Peace, Peace Poor Tom Praise and Thanksgiving Praise the Bread Red River Valley Rise and Shine Rose, Rose, Rose Rosen fra Fyn (Denmark) Row Your Boat Shalom Chaverim Silvery Star Silver and Gold Silver Star Sim Sala Bim (Denmark) Song of the North Stars of the Summer Night Sun Ah Go Down (Guiana) Swan Sings Take Time in Life Tell Me Why This Daily Food Thou Poor bird Thus and So Time Sends a Warning T-I-R-O Titi-Toia (Maori) Trail's Bending Trampin' Tree Song Under the Linden Viva l'amour We're All Together What Aloha Means What Do You See in a Fire When I Was in Jail Where Is John Whether the Weather Who Can Sail? Who Did? Who Stole My Chickens? Why Doesn't It Rain? World Is Never Without LightAlso published under the name of the American Camping Association

All Ceatures of Our God and King All People That on Earth Do Dwell America the Beautiful Abide With Us Allelujah At Grandfather's House Benedicamus Bingo Come, Ye Thankful People Daily Bread Down the River For the Beautyof the earth Harvest Song I Walk the Unfrequented Road Jump Josie Merci, Seigneur Not alone for Beauteous Harvest Now Let Every Tongue Adore Thee Now thank We All Our God Over the River Shoo Fly 'Simmons Skip to My Lou We Plough the Fields

Chapel Conference Songbook Prepared in cooperation with Office, Chief of Air Force Chaplains

A Charge to Keep A Mighty Fortress Above a Plain Allelujah Round All Night, All Day Alouette Amasing Grace America the Beautiful A-roving Auld Lang Syne Be Still, My Soul Be Strong Beautiful Dreamer Believe Me Beneath the Cross Bicycle Built for Two Blest Be the Tie Bon Soir, Bon Soir Breathe on Me Burden Down Capital Ship Certainly, Lord Clementine Come By Here Come, Thou Almighty King Comin' Round the Mountain Couldn't Hear Nobody Pray Daily Bread Day Is Done Day Is Dying Dear Lord and Father Deep River Dinah Down in the Valley Doxology Echo Yodel Ev'ry Time I Feel Ezek'el Saw the Wheel Fairest Lord Jesus Faith of Our Fathers Fare Thee Well Funiculi, Funicula Go, Tell It God Be in My Head God of Grace God, Who Touchest Green Grow the Rushes Hallelujah Han Skal Leve He's Got the Whole World Hole in the Bucket Holy, Holy, Holy Home on the Range How Firm a Foundation I Got a Robe I Know the Lord I'm Gonna Sing In Heavenly Love Abiding Instruments I Want a Principle I Would Be True Jacob's Ladder Jesus Calls Us Jesus Shall Reign Jesus, Stand Among Us Kookaburra Lead On, O King Eternal Let Us Break Bread Let Us Cheer the Weary Little Ships Lord, Guard and Guide Lord, I Want to Be Lord Is My Shepherd Love Divine Marianina Morning Comes Early My Faith Looks Up My Wild Irish Rose Now the Day Is Over O for a Thousand Tongues O God, Our Help O Jesus, I Have Promised O Love That Wilt Not Let O Master, Let Me Walk Oh! Susanna Old Smoky One Finger, One Thumb Patsy Oree-oy Peace of the River Praise for Bread Puffer Billies Red River Valley Revive Us Again Rise and Shine Rise Up, O Men Row Your Boat Sarasponda Savior, Like a Shepherd Shuckin' of the Corn Silver Moon Somebody's Knocking Speak Louder Standing in Need Sweet and Low Sweet Hour of Prayer Sweet Potatoes Swing Low Take My Life Teach Me Thy Truth This Is My Father's World This Old Man Tiritomba Trampin' Vive l'amour Walking at Night We Shall Not Be Moved We Would See Jesus Weggis Song Were You There? Wesley Grace What a Friend We Have When the Saints Where He Leads Me Where Is John? White Coral Bells Workin' on the Railroad

Not identified as published by World Around Songs/Cooperative Recreation Services, but the format is unmistakeable.

Let's Sing Together Published by the Geneva Press, Philadelphia planned by the Presbyterian and Reformed Churches

Alishan All Creatures of Our God and King All Hail the Power All Praise to Thee All the Earth Doth Worship Thee All Through the Night A Mighty Fortress Ancient of Days A Ram Sam Sam Ariang Arise! Arise! A Round of Thanks Balm in Gilead Be Thou My Vision Brother and Lord Canoe Song Cielito Lindo Cockels and Mussels Dear Lord and Father Die Gedanken Dona Nobis Pacem Down in the Valley Everybody Loves Saturday Night Every Time I Feel the Spirit Fine and True For the Beauty of the Earth God of Grace Go Down, Moses Going Home Go Tell It on the Mountain Green Grow the Rushes Han Skal Leve Here, O My Lord Hey, Ho! Nobody Home Hi! Echo Holla Hi, Holla Ho Holy, Holy, Holy I Know the Lord I'm a Rollin' Immortal, Invisible In Christ There Is No East or West In the Woods I Saw Her as She Came I Sing the Mighty Power I Was Born and Raised in East Virginia Jesus Shall Reign King of Kings Kookaburra Kum Ba Yah Lead On, O King Eternal Let Us Break Bread Together Let Us Sing Together Lift Thy Head, O Zion Loch Lomond Lord, Speak to Me Lord, We Thank Thee for Our Brothers Make New Friends Morning Song Musikanter My Lord, What a Morning Nobody Knows de Trouble I've Seen Now Let Us Sing Now Thank We All Our God O Brother Man Oh, Dear! What Can the Matter Be? Oh, Freedom! Oh, How Lovely Oh, My Lovin' Brother Old Smoky 0l' Texas O Master, Let Me Walk with Thee O Sacred Head, Now Wounded Our God, Our Help O Worship the King Plaisir d'Amour Praise and Thanksgiving Praise to the Lord Quodlibet (The Instruments) Red River Valley Rejoice, Ye Pure in Heart Sakura Shenandoah Sing, Sing, Sing Spirit of the Living God Standing in the Need of Prayer Steal Away Stodola Pumpa Study War No More Suliram Swinging Along Take My Life Take Thou Our Minds Thank You for This Lovely Day The Ash Grove The Church's One Foundation The Clarinet Song The Climate The Coqui The Day Thou Gavest The Diamond The God of Abraham Praise The Hunter The Keeper The Turtle Dove The Winter's Freezing Mantle Thine Is the Glory Through North and South Two Wings Vine and Fig Tree Vive l'Amour Vreneli Wade in the Water Wayfaring Stranger We Gather Together Weggis Song Were You There? When I Survey the Wondrous Cross Where Cross the Crowded Ways Wondrous Love Zulu Warrior Zum Gal, Galli

Canons and Rounds

All Praise to Thee All the Earth Doth Worship Thee A Round of Thanks A Ram Sam Sam Brother and Lord Canoe Song Dona Nobis Pacem Hey, Ho! Nobody Home Hi! Echo Kookaburra Let Us Sing Togehter Make New Friends Morning Song Ol' Texas Oh, How Lovely Praise and Thanksgiving Quodlibet (The Instruments) The Hunter Through North and South Vine and Fig Tree

Not identified as published by World Around Songs/Cooperative Recreation Services, but the format looks very similar.

Songs of All time, copyright 1946, Cooperative Recreation Service. "This book is issued under the Council of Southern Mountain Workers in the interest of good recreation material in the Highland area." Forward by Olive D. Campbell, Director John C. Campbell Folk School, Basstown NC, Richard Chase, Recreation Center, Charlottesville VA and Marie Marvel, Itinerant Recreation Worker, Council of Southern Mountain Workeers, Berea KY.

Songs of All Time

Alleluia (All Creatures of Our God and King) All Around My Hat Barnyard Song (I Had a Cat) Beyond the Woodland Black is the Colour of My True Love's Hair Brightest and Best Chinese National Anthem Christ Was Born in Bethlehem Coasts of High Barbary Cock Robin Cuckoo, The Darkness Is Falling Deaf Woman's Courtship Dear Companion Deep in the Forest Devil's Questions Erie Canal Father Grumble Farewell, Sweet Jane Foggy Dew Froggy Went A-Courting Garden Hymn Gentle Fair Jenny Golden Day Is Dying Goodnight Goodnight, Beloved Go Tell It on the Mountain Gipsy Laddie Grasshoppers Three Happy Plowman Hey, Ho! Nobody Home I Wonder When I Shall Be Married Johnny, Come to Hilo Jolly Ploughboy Keeper, The Lark in the Morn Lazy John Little Devils Lord Lovel Now Let Every Tongue O Give Thanks Oh, Render Thanks Old King Quine Old Woman and the Peddlar One Morning in May Paper of Pins Pedlar, The Pig Went Out to Dig Praise for Bread Pretty Saro Riddle Song Rose, Rose Seeds of Love Sheep-Shearing Souling Song Sourwood Mountain Spanish Ladies Suomi's Song Tailor and the Mouse That Cause This Old Man Three Sons Tree in the Wood Twelve Days of Christmas Two Magicians Two Sisters Underneath the Forest Tree Wife of Tone Wondrous Love

Alouette America the Beautiful Are You Sleeping? As the Sun Goes Down Battle Hymn of the Republic Bicycle Built for Two Cindy Chime's Grace Cockles and Mussels Come By Here Come to the Fair Cowboy Night Song Crocodile Song Cuckoo Dear Lord and Father Donkey Riding Down in the Valley Dreaming Evening Star Ev'ry Time I Feel the Spirit Fairest Lord Jesus Fare Thee Well For Sun and Rain For the Beauty of the Earth 4-H Field Song 4-H Friendship Song Frere Jacqhes Frogs Go Tell It on the Mountain God of Our Fathers God, Who Touchest Good Night to You All Goose Round Grace Song Green Grow the Rushes Happy Days Happy Wanderer Home on the Range Hungarian Round I Got a Robe I Would Be True I'm Gonna Sing In a Cottage In a Wood Jacob's Ladder Keeper, The Kookaburra Lovely Evening Morning Comes Early Mow the Hay Music Alone Shall Live Musikanter National 4-H Pledge Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen Now the Day Is Over O Give Thanks O Master Let Me Walk With Thee Oh! Susanna Ol'Texas Omaha Tribal Prayer On Top of Old Smoky Over the Meadows Pennsylvania 4-H Club Song Pennsylvania, Keystone State Ploughing Song Praise and Thanksgiving Praise for Bread Red River Valley Rocka My Soul Round of thanks Roundup Lullaby Sarasponda Shenandoah Shuckin' of the Corn Shusti Fidli Silvery Star Sing Your Way Home Song of Health Song of Peace Song of Open Country Song of the Volga Boatmen Sourwood Mountain Speed Away Standing in the Need of Prayer Swinging Along Tell Me Why This Is My Father's World Two Wings Vesper Hymn Vive l'amour Vreneli Walking at Night Waltzing Matilda Were You There? What Aloha Means Whether the Weather Whippoorwill White Coral Bells White Wings Witchcraft Zum Gali Gali

(coming soon) Still to come: Itinerary In Song Four and Twenty Carols and Holiday Songs Aloha Sampler Sing Along the Way (YWCA) East West Songs Songs to Keep Songs We Like Peoples of Earth Happy Days Song Adventures Work and Sing: An International Songbook (needs revision) Grace at Table (needs revision) I'm Gonna Sing Sing It Again! (Methodist) Life on the H2O Let's Sing (same title, same publisher, different book) Camp Songs 'n' Things

A Kapasule A Ram Sam Sam A Sing Sing So After School Ahrirang America the Beautiful Ask of the Stars At the Spring Aztec Lullaby Band of Brothers Beauty Around Us Beyond the Woodland Bird Song Blow the Wind Blowing Wind Boatman' Chantey Canoe Round Caxcanga Charlie Is My Darling Chíu, Chíu, Chíu Come Friends Come Out Discover of America Donkeys and Carrots Droumba, Droumba Drum Carol E Jeka Lo Early to Bed Echo Yodel El Barco Chiquitito Fray Martin Go Well Gypsying Hali Ho Hand in Hand Hawaiian Serenade Herdsman Hiney Mah Tov Johnny's My Boy Kawai Kyrie Land of Spain Left, Right Let Us Smile Linstead Market List to the Bells Little Eskimo Little Olé Make New Friends Man' Life a Vapor May Carol My Boat My Nipa Hut One World Orchestra Peoples of Earth Polish Haying Song Poncho Verde Puffer Billies Rally Song Riding in the Morning Rocks on the Mountain Scottish Grace Shalom Chaverim Silvery Star Sing Your Way Home Song of Peace Song of Youth Sun of Hope Take Time in Life Tongo Train Trees Bend Try the Riddle Two Plus Two Tzena, Tzena Waltzing Matilda Westering Home When the Saints Where Is John? Whippoorwill Who Can Sail? Wind in the Willows Wings of the Morning World Anthem Yangtze Boatmen Youpe! Youpe!

Ain't It a Shame Ain't It Great to Be All Night, All Day Applepicker's Reel As We Leave This Autumn Time Back of the Bread Bean Song Bingo Birthday Cake Brownie Smile Song Bumblebee Canoe Round Caterpillar Christmas Is Coming Christmas Quodlibet Clock Cockles and Mussles Comin' 'Round the Mountain Country Life Douglas Mountain Down the road For Health and Strength Freight Train Frere Jacques Go Tell It on the Mountain God Is Great Granny Will Your Dog Grass So Green Grasshoppers Three Gypsy Rover Had a Little Chicken Happy Wanderer Hanukah, O Hanukay Head, Shoulders, Knees He's Got the Whole Hush, Little Baby I Can Feel the Sweet I Can't See the Wind I Have a Rooster I Love the Mountains If You're Happy In a Cottage in a Wood It Rained a Mist It's a Small World It's Snowing Itsy Bitsy Spider Jingle Bells Kookaburra Kum Ba Yah Land of the Silver Little Bird Little jesus, Sweetly Los Pollitos Mail Myself to You Marjorie, Go Feed Mary Wore Her Red Michael, Row More We Are Together My Bonnie Lies Over Now All the Woods Are Oh! Susannah Old Dan Tucker Old Miss Sally Old Thompson Old MacDonald Once I Had a Pumpkin One Bottle of Pop Over the River Paw Paw Patch Pick It Up Place In the Choir Plant Starts With Po Po Po Pop Goes the Weasel Pussywillows Put Your Finger Race You Down the Raindrops River Trip Row Your Boat Sailor Went to Sea Shalom Chaverim Lilent Night Sing a Song of Spring Six Little Ducks Skinny Marink Skip to My Lou Snake Skin Spanish Counting Star of the Evening Sur le Pont Swing Low, Sweet Chariot Take Me Out to the Ballgame Take Time in Life Ten Little Chipmunks There Was an Old This Old Man Threw It Out the Window To Stop the Train Twinkle, Twinkle We Wish You a Merry Christmas Wheels on the Bus When I'm on My Journey Where Are the Froggies Where Do You Sleep? Where Is Thumbkin? Where's Mary Whipporwill Who Is in the Ring?

A Ram Sam Sam Asikatali Back of the Bus Black Socks Chiapanecas Child of the Universe Congo Lullaby Coqui Deep, Deep Dipidu Dona Nobis Pacem Down on the Farm Ducks Earth Is My Mother Everybody Loves Saturday Family of Woman and Man Faraway Friends Farmer Is the One Fight On, Sisters Follow the Drinking Gourd French Counting Song Friendship Song Ging Gong Gooli Glad to Have a Friend Go Down Moses Go Well and Safely God Bless the Grass Grand and Glorious Harriet Tubman Haru Ga Kita Head, Shoulders, Knees Hello, Ladybug Hine Ma Tov Horsey, Horsey I Am a Good Musician I Can See a New Day I Don't Want Your Millions I Like You I Want to Live If I had a Hammer I'm in Favor of Friendship It Could Be a Wonderful Itik Besenda Gurau It's Up to You and Me Ka Tam Ma Wui K'ang Ting Song Kid's Peace Song Kookaburra Kum Ba Yah Let It Be Let There Be Peace Little Bit of light Long Walk Love Grows One by One Make New Friends Many Thousand Gone Massasoit May There Always Be Sunshine Milestones More We Get Together My Banjo My Bonnie My Farm My Rhinoceros No More Nukes Oh, Freedom One Big Family One Bottle of Pop One Morning I Rose One Pair of Hands One World Pat on the Back Pat Works on the Railway Peace Is Peace Pipe Peace Song Peace Will Come Penobscot Song of Greeting Peoples of the Earth Perinitza Place in the Choir Raghupati Ragava Raja Ram Red, White and Blue Ride on the Bus with Me Shalom Chaverim Sing together Skating on the Volga So Long, It's Been Good to Know You Song of Peace Song of the Whales Spring Has Come! Step by Step Strangest Dream Study War No More That Bomb Has Got to Go There Is Always Something This Land Is Your Land This Little Light of Mine Time Has Come Time to Start Living Tinga Layo To Stop the Train Toast Treasure Chests Tzena, Tzena, Tzena, Tzena Under One Sky United Nations We Shall Not Be Moved We Shall Overcome We'll Be Back Again Welcome Table Who Can Sail? Wo Seywa De World of Tomorrow Yo Que Soy Americano You Can Make the Sun Shine

Amen Balm in Gilead Burden Down Certainly, Lord Chicka-hanka Children Go Where Come and Go Cotton Needs A-Pickin' Deep River Didn't My Lord Deliver Daniel Ev'ry Time I Feel Get on Board Go Down, Moses Go Tell It on the Mountain Good News, Chariot's Coming Good News in the Kingdom Great Day Green Trees, Rocky Road Grey Goose He's Got the Whole World Hold On I Couldn't Hear Nobody I Got a Robe I know the Lord I Want to Be Ready I Want to Die Easy I'm A-Rolling I'm Gonna Sing Jacob's Ladder King of Kings Kum Ba Yah Let Us Break Bread Let Us Cheer Little David Look Away Lord, I Want to Be a Christian Lord, Lord, Lord My Lord, What a Morning Nobody Knows Oh, My Lovin' Brother Old Ark's A-Movering Rise Up, Shepherds Rocks on the Mountain Roll, Jordan Show Me the Way Sinner, You Know Somebody's Knocking Steal Away Study War No More Swing Low, Sweet Chariot There's a Meeting Trampin' Wade in the Water Walk Together, Children We Shall Walk Were You There?

A Ram Sam Sam Above A Plain All Night, All Day Ash Grove Back of the Loaf Barges Blessing Dona Nobis Ego Sum Pauper God Has Created Grasshoppers Three Holla Hi I Love the Mountains Jacob's Ladder Kookaburra Kum Ba Yah Land of the Silver Birch Linger Linstead Market Little Drop of Dew Little Johnny Lovely Evening Make New Friends Music Shall Live Now All The Woods Are Waking Now the Day Is Over Ol' Texas One World Our Cabaña Our Chalet Peace of the River Rise Up, O Flame Rose Sarasponda Seeyahnah Shalom Chaverim Sing Together Sing Your Way Home Slumber Boat Slumber, Slumber Streets of Laredo Swinging Along Tangaleo Tzena Vesper Round Walk Shepherdess Walk Wayfarer's Grace Zum Gali Gali

Angel's Song Away in a Manger Beauty Around Us Brightest and Best Bring a Torch Christmas Eve Christmas Lullaby Christmas Yodel Come, Ye Shepherds Coventry Carol Deck the Hall Drum Carol First Noel Friendly Beasts Gloria Good Christian Men Go Tell It On the Mountain Go to Bethlehem Heaven's Gate Holly and the Ivy Infant Holy It Came Upon the Midnight Joy to the World Joyful All Sing Lo, How a Rose Lullay Merry Bells O Come, All Ye Faithful O Come, Emmanuel O little One O Little Town On This Day Pat-a-Pan Polish Carol Rejoice Silent Night Sing and Rejoice Sing Now, O Adam! Stars of Ice Still, Still Susanni Twelve Days of Christmas Weihnachts Jodler What Child Is This Whence, O Shepherd Maiden? Ye Shepherds, Leave

Vesta Lowe was a multidimensional woman-teacher, singer, musician, folk song collector, and rural development professional. She was a pioneer in so many aspects of life. She was among the first batch of teachers to graduate from the Teachers’ Training College. She is considered to be the first Black woman to graduate from Tuskegee Institute with a B.Sc. (Honours) degree in Home Economics. Lynette Dolphin described Vesta Lowe as “the pioneer in the field of Folk Song preservation” in Guyana as she “collected the music from various rural districts and the hinterland and popularised it in choral form at concerts presented by the Dawson Music Lovers Club and the Vesta Lowe Choir.” Her publication Guiana Sings and the accompanying LP record were published by the Cooperative Recreation Service, Inc., in Delaware, Ohio, in 1959. The publication and accompanying LP were used across the United States in music education programmes.

Vesta Lowe Vesta Lowe grew up in a home that was permeated with music. Music was a family tradition: “her mother and father were both staunch members of church choirs.” Vesta also sang in Sunday school and church choirs. Her musical education continued at the Teachers’ Training College where she studied under Rev. Hawley Bryant, who composed the music for “Song of Guiana’s Children.”

Like the late Dr. Ptolomey Reid, Vesta Lowe was a graduate of Tuskegee Institute. She attended the institution during the 1930s through a scholarship that was provided by British Guiana’s Negro Progress Convention. While at Tuskegee Institute, she continued her music education and training. Among her tutors were Mr. William L. Dawson and Mrs. Portia Washington Pitman. Mr. Dawson was the Institute’s choir conductor, and Mrs. Pitman, the daughter of Booker T. Washington, the founder of the Institute, was the assistant conductor and piano tutor. Vesta Lowe was a soprano in the Institute’s first choir during her stay at Tuskegee. Among her most prized memories of her stay in the United States was being part of the Tuskegee choir that sang at the opening of Radio City in 1932.

On her return to British Guiana, she proceeded to “give back to her community” in the spirit of the Negro Progress Convention and the Tuskegee Institute. Among her indelible contributions was the founding of the Dawson Music Lovers’ Society-named after her college professor-in 1939. She served as the conductor. The training she provided members of the Dawson Music Lovers’ Society made them attractive to other choirs such as the Maranatha Male Voice Choir. Members such as James Pheonix and John “Bagpipe” Fredericks would go on to become leaders in the British Guiana Police Male Voice Choir. James Pheonix later formed the Skeldon Music Lovers Society. Because of this dynamic, Vesta Lowe influenced musical education and appreciation across Guyana. Her repertoire in the early period included “Negro spirituals and Irish songs.”

By 1944, she created the Vesta Lowe Choir with the declared aim of making music accessible. John Fredericks remembers her as a demanding leader and a stickler for punctuality. He tells the story of a leading male singer who was sent home because he showed up in a grey suit when the required code was a dark suit. Among her efforts at making music accessible was organising concerts at the Town Hall and moonlight singing on the Sea Wall. According to “Women of Talent,” “In 1947, Mrs. [Lowe]-Prescod broke new ground, and presented a programme of Guyanese Folk Songs, in which the Qweh-Qweh Dancing accompanied by African Tom-Toms was a novel feature.” The rest is history. That concert contributed to the breaking down of the stigma associated with Guyana folk songs created by formerly enslaved Africans in British Guiana and gave Guyana a musical tradition of which all could be proud.

In addition to contributing to the development of music in Guyana, Vesta Lowe had a proud public service career in education, health, and nutrition. She served as Dietician at the Public Hospital in Georgetown and as Supervising Dietician of the Children’s Breakfast Center. She taught at the Carnegie School of Home Economics. She was also a member of the B.G. Branch of the British Red Cross Society and served as a Vice President of the Teachers’ Training College Old Students’ Association. She was also a foundation member of the Kitty Women’s Institute and served as its president. According to one of her relatives, Vesta Lowe “spent most of her time working with the Ministry of Agriculture. While there, she was very involved with 4-H clubs from New Amsterdam to Crabwood Creek and Black Bush Polder. She also organised a lot of community clubs and projects in the Manchester/Liverpool/Lancaster area, some of which met in her home at Manchester.” Those who knew Vesta Lowe have commented on her unselfishness and her use of personal and other resources to enhance the lives of others.

As Lynette Dolphin confirmed, Vesta Lowe was a pioneer in the preservation of Guyanese folk songs. About 15 years ago, one of my colleagues at Ohio University gave me the LP Guiana Sings that was used by his mother when she taught school in rural Ohio. This is one of the most treasured items in my Guyana collection. On that album we have recorded for posterity the voice of Rev. Fred Talbot. The LP also features the voice of a young Rafiq Khan, then Programme Director of the British Guiana United Broadcasting Company, providing descriptions of the 13 folk songs on the LP -”Col’ A-ready,” “Cuma Fish,” “Daddy Gone” “Gol Ring,” “Goo’-night, Aye,” “Itaname,” “Marijanna,” “O Gal, Ah Too love,” “Rainy Wedder”, “Sancha,” “Sugi Mugi,” “Sun Ah Go Down”, “Supinam Water,” “T’ing Na regula,” “Train Song,” “When Me Go,” and “Yalla Gal.” I was recently able to get a copy of the book that accompanied the LP from John Fredericks. The book contains the lyrics and music for 21 Guyanese folk songs. Vesta Lowe’s work is very important and she must be accorded the respect that has been accorded to the world’s great song catchers like Jesse Fewkes, Bella Bartok, Edvard Grieg, Percy Grainger, and Alice Fletcher whose collections of the songs of ordinary people have helped people around the world to appreciate their cultural heritage and have influenced other genres of music.

The aim of these features is to go beyond descriptions of individual contributions. These features call upon us to appreciate context and identify next steps in important tasks of preserving, propagating and promoting Guyana’s cultural heritage. Vesta Lowe studied in the United States during the Jim Crow era and returned to British Guiana to continue experiencing discrimination. Despite her education, training, and qualifications, she was never able to obtain a tenured position in the British Guiana civil service. According to her relatives, she held a number of “open-vote” appointments. Despite these professional slights she continued to serve her country. She soared above the vulgarity of her times and left for us a body of work that makes us proud to be Guyanese. Vesta Lowe was a 2003 Wordsworth McAndrew Awardee.

The members of the Guyana Folk Festival 2003 team thank you all for your support and look forward to your participation in the future. The great Guyanese years are still to come.

I got a nice mailer from World Around Songs today. They've moved to a new location, still in Burnsville, NC. Their Website is http://www.worldaroundsongs.com/. I see they have a 72-booklet box set of songbooks for ONLY $80. I have to go through what I have, and see if there are enough books in the box to justify my buying another set. I don't think my box set had THAT many books.

World Around Songs 7036 Hwy 80 South Burnsville, NC 28714 USA

828-675-5343

Here's the scoop on the $80 box set of these wonderful songbooks:

Our complete collection of 72 booklets in sturdy cardboard boxes. American and International folk songs, hymns, spirituals, carols, rounds, popular songs, and much, much more.

Individually these booklets would be more than $200.

This is a great deal for a uniquely wonderful cross-section of songs of every kind from all over the world!

I need to know the size of the World Around Songs book titled Children's Songs for a Friendly Planet. I have a feeling the book is right here in the room with me, but I can't find it. Is it the standard World Around Songs pocket songbook size, or is it larger? It was a major source for ecology songs that were used in the Rise Up Singing (RUS) I'm working on building an online companion for the RUS and Rise Again songbooks.

By the way, World Around Songs is still in business, still selling these delightful songbooks.